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Monday, 26 November 2012

Cody Chesnutt- Till I met thee. You know when you just want some of that old school R&B and neo soul? Yeah he is your guy. I saw him on the Jools Holland show and I loved the live performance of the song.

Gabrielle Aplin- Power of love. Covering Frankie goes to Hollywood for The John Lewis Christmas advert her ethereal tones makes it really memorable. Having been around on Youtube etc for the last few years, it is rumoured she tweeted John Lewis into submission regarding her doing a song for them and after a while an agency got it touch with her. Goes to show the power of social media and slight stalking....lol

Kyra ft Cashtastic- Good love. It is very nice to see some good UK talent and yup all them faces that look familiar are lol

Solange- Losing you. I usually yawn at her attempts but I freaking love this song and loved it more when I saw the video. Filmed in South Africa the idea seems to me to be about capturing a glimpse of humanity against a back drop of adversity. The scenes really brought those people to life. For anyone who knows their music you will see it was heavily influenced by elements of Janet Jackson's got til its gone video.

P.s this video seems a bit slower than the audio.

Wonder ft Emeli Sandé- Wonder. Seriously one of my favourite songs this year. I am big fan of them both and I just freaking love this song. Everyone who knows me knows me knows I have had it on replay for ages. Who doesn't like a beautiful message, extras who look like they stepped out of a Benetton ad and purple Icelandic woods?

Tuesday, 20 November 2012

If one more woman should
accidentally fall, there'll be no more women and.......

Ramon Munoz was sentenced five years for a murder he did not commit.His family is determined to prove his innocence and in the process his wife is assassinated. Paige Holden the to private investigator hired to find the truth is a witness to the assassination and the last words of a dying woman. Having been handed evidence that could clear Ramon's name moments before seeing the assassination Paige doesn't know who to trust. Paige is immediately thrown into the middle of a
case which will knock down the new life she has rebuilt into jeopardy. In the race to free Ramon and prove his innocence she realises how powerful the real killer is and the implications this could have on her life.

I rather liked this book. I always like a good mystery crime novel and although i found it cheesy in parts the general storyline was really good.

3 Stars

2. Before I go to sleep by SJ Watson

Christine wakes up every morning not knowing where she is.
She does not recognise herself in the mirror or the strange man lying next to
her. Every morning Ben who says he is
her husband must explain that she is forty-seven years old and a terrible
accident 20 years earlier that damaged her brain and ability to form new
memories. She is completely dependent on him.

A phone call changes what little grasp she had on this 24
hour life when a neurologist who claimed to be working with Christine without
her husband’s knowledge to improve her memory. This revelation leads her to a
secret journal. Christine discovers that she has been making a record of daily
activities for the past few weeks including her sessions with Dr. Nash. After rereading
past entries, relearning her life story narrated by her husband Christine
begins to ask questions. What happened to her exactly? What was her life like
before the accident? Where are all her friends? Why didn’t she and Ben have any
children? Every day, Christine mustreconstruct the last 20 years of her life and explore the niggling
feeling in the back of her mind that something is deathly wrong.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Written
by an NHS audiologist in between shifts at London's
St Thomas's Hospital, it's incredibly
succinct and skillful in the tone and style of delivery. It really shows there
are good writers out the and I look forward to another book from this author.

4.5 Stars

3. A discovery of witches by Deborah Harkness (book 1)

This is a very mature and sophisticated approach to the magical world of the supernatural. The story follows the life of Diana a scientist who firmly turned her back on her roots and magic when her parents were murdered. As the last of the Bishops, a very powerful and ancient witch family her name and powers of seemingly lack of them are famous within the magical community. Having turned her back on all things magical, Diana is unaware of how much magic is part of her everyday existence and how it has crept in without her say so.When she calls up a manuscript that has been lost for thousands of years she inadvertently breaks a powerful spell that could start a war between all magical creatures much to the detriment of humans. This discovery brings her to the forefront of the magical community and leaves her life in danger. With the unlikely pairing of a 1500 year old vampire Mattew who has made the manuscript his life's work. They embark on an illicit and forbidden courtship that could change their worlds forever. There is a feeling of authenticity and isn't just another supernatural romance.The book is brought to life with references to Newton, Einstein and many other geniuses who are really daemons masquerading as humans. Harkness also uses a heady mix of evolution, DNA, genetics and extinction to draw the reader in.The book also touches of racial tension between the magical beings which really resonates with real life events thus adding another layer of authenticity and intrigue that bubbles around this illusive manuscript called Ashmole 782.

3.5 Stars

4. American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis

I have read this book before but strangely the detached vehemence startled me more than usual. Maybe I am getting softer in my old age, I don't know but as a teenager I was less shocked and it took a lot longer for me to read this time. There was a lot of controversy when this was originally released and it really seemed to divide the publishing world and I can see why.

Following the life of Patrick Bateman a 26 year old all American quintessential Wall street yuppie with a difference....he is a psycho. As if raking in a six figure salary and moving in the "right" circles in New York isn't enough, old pat likes nothing more than to supplement his excessive gym works with a bit of random murder. As with many in the mid 1980’s Patrick is part of the materialistic and vain
me, me, me corporate culture of the time. He is described as living the
ultimate self indulgent and glamorous lifestyle and has to have the best of the
best. Ellis perfectly paints a picture of Bateman spending longer thinking
about his stereo system, returning his videos or obsessing over Les Mis than he
does on people he has brutally murdered and disposed of. Bateman must be the
one with the ultimate business card, shoes, suit or business account. He practically
has a heart attack if he doesn’t have the best of the best in his group.

Although Bateman’s character is repulsive, he is seemingly gorgeous, cultured and stylish. The old battle between inner and outer beauty is played out well here.
In great 80’s style long lists of fashion houses and brands are listed and
Bateman even gives the reader a tip or two in monologue narrations along with
his associates. In between all this preening, hopeless self indulgence and drug
taking Ellis manages to squeeze in a few hundred pages of very graphic torture
and mutilation lavished on the unsuspecting New York
public. Frankly how I managed to sleep at night is a miracle.I can only hope
the author got a freebie or two from the brands able to function after having their
work associated with a nutter.

I personally was left with the question of did these incidents really occur or was Patrick crying out for help and some way of alleviating his mind numbingly mundane existence through these bizarre creations. There were little tells throughout the book but one can never be sure as Ellis didn't give us the answer. The thing Bateman craves most is notoriety and the thing we see despite his job or friends and clothes is his anonymity in his world.Everybody is the same faceless clone and in his own warped and twisted way he tries to break free.

This book is wrong yet moreish, morbid, fascinating,long, numbing,
strangely funny, informative, layered, mentally draining, shallow and sick. It
is incredibly of the 1980's and now. This book is an essential reading
cult classic.

Monday, 12 November 2012

I have never been a super jumpery kind of person, I am more of a cardigan girl but I have got into them majorly over the last few years. The high street has provided a plethora of great and affordable pieces and influence from the catwalk is clear to see. You can see Primark has taken inspiration from 3.1 Philip Lims KA- POW jumper. Teemed with leggings, cigarette trousers or a pencil skirt they look great. Or for a funky autumnal look why not team a fine knit jumper with a maxi skirt and belt the waist. Shops have really pulled all the stops with their graphic, appliqued, studded, grunge, animal magic and chunky knits.

Tuesday, 6 November 2012

Well bonjour Madame Matalan! Matalan isn't a shop I visit very often but
that will definitely change. I have been receiving a lot of their catalogues
and discount cards of late so decided to stop by. I was a little late and didn’t
discover Matalan until Uni days. Even
then it was one of those shops that you hit like twice a year because of its
random location.

I am incredibly happy with the pieces
I got and have already been complimented on several items. This is a very
autumnal haul with key accents in plum, aubergine and oxblood. It was not
deliberate but it seems that I am reaching for these rich colours more and
more. The velvet metal capped brogues give a feminised shoe the much needed
edge I love in my accessories and can be teamed with the floaty dress and
blazer for a business look or with turned up jeggings and the over sized knit for a casual Friday look.

The over sized orangey coral clutch is really beautiful and the studded horses really lift the bag and
add another element to any outfit. I also really loved the over sized tote in
cream. You cant see very well from the image but it has a very slight hint of pinky mink blush to it which helps the rose gold studded detail to really warm up the
tone of the bag.

I always get flat ballet pumps where
ever I can as I love them and they are super comfortable. The quilted finish is
an added extra to the patent capped look we have been seeing on the high
streets. Finally Metallics are very big this season and
who could resist that gorgeous wear me at Halloween or Christmas party foiled dipped hem
skirt? It really reminded me of the foiled Christmas wrapping paper and I just
had to have it!

To be honest I didn't go mad as I was
looking for smart casual pieces that could go from day to night and not have
the rigidity of office wear. For me their range this season was either
too casual or to office wear, so it was definitely quality over quantity this
time around. I would definitely suggest trying things on in store if it is your
first foray into the shop as I have found their sizing really weird and usually
have to go a size smaller some items and bigger in others. I would highly
recommend their jumpers this season as they are comfy slouchy and tailored
enough to be duel party and business pieces.

Matalan have really stepped up their game
over the last 10 years apparently and I can definitely say their clothes are
fashionable and excellent quality. Unlike some other well know high street
companies their leggings and jersey dresses don't bobble and tear upon impact
with skin. Have you found any Matalan
gems of late?